Restaurant Openings in Orange County

March 5, 2015

Updated June 3, 2015 8:22 a.m.

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The Golden State Benedict at Broken Yolk Cafe is one of the restaurant's most popular items: A toasted English muffin with sliced grilled tomato, avocado, Applewood-smoked bacon and two poached eggs topped with Hollandaise sauce and Sriracha. Served with home fries, hashbrowns or fresh fruit. BROKEN YOLK CAFE

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Centro will serve pizza inside a new brewery in Old Town Tustin. NANCY LUNA, STAFF

The Golden State Benedict at Broken Yolk Cafe is one of the restaurant's most popular items: A toasted English muffin with sliced grilled tomato, avocado, Applewood-smoked bacon and two poached eggs topped with Hollandaise sauce and Sriracha. Served with home fries, hashbrowns or fresh fruit. BROKEN YOLK CAFE

About this section: This list reflects 2012, 2013 and 2014 and 2015 restaurant openings and announcements in Orange County. This news column is based on Register reporting, and confirmed tips from readers. If you spot a new restaurant in your community, or a closure, please email nluna@ocregister.com.

Mexican pizza chain Pizza Del Perro Negro opened in early 2015. The deep dish style pizza offers ingredients or flavors commonly found in a traditional Mexican restaurant such as a pizza topped with carnitas and chile rellanos. But it also offers some wacky comfort food pizzas such as Mac & Cheese and hamburger pizzas. The restaurant is 2233 W. Balboa Blvd.

The new owners of The Strand said Shakeaway -- a milkshake bar company -- will open Friday, (May 8) at 5th Street and Pacific Coast Highway. The company has 50 stores around the world, including San Diego. Shakeaway, founded 16 years ago in England, features more than 180 ingredients that customers can choose from to build their own shake. Ingredients are hand-blended to order. Read more here

Sessions West Coast Deli in Newport Beach is opening a second location in downtown Huntington Beach. It opens in early summer. Read more here

Jimmy's John's is on a hot streak. The Champaign, Ill.-based sandwich chain is slated to open iths 9th location in Orange County later in San Clemente. "Southern California has been a growing market for us since our first store opened in late 2013. We are always looking for where we can go next - you’re definitely going to see more of us," said Nathan Louer, a company spokesman. The San Clemente restaurant, on El Camino Real between Avenida del Mar and Avenida Granada, should open later this spring, he said. The first Jimmy John's opened in 1983 in Illinois. The company primarily grows through franchising, with sub shops focused on low-prices and speedy service. The other local restaurants are in Orange, Fountain Valley, Stanton, Fullerton, Santa Ana, Costa Mesa, Irvine and Huntington Beach.

LosAngeles based tea shop The American Tea Room will be opening its first Orange County location in November. The shop offers an array of high-quality loose leaf teas including matcha, whimsical rooibos blends, certified organic teas, and Earl Grey blends. The shop also sells customized tea gift sets, teacups and teapots. The flagship store in Beverly Hills opened in 2003. They are expanding to Orange County because the shop’s largest customer base outside of LosAngeles was in Newport Beach. The American Tea Room will be opening in Fashion Island, with construction set to begin this July.

Sushi Roku will be opening its first Orange County location in June. This will be the sixth addition to the popular Japanese restaurant chain since its debut in 1997. The seafood-oriented menu offers Japanese cuisine with contemporary ingredients such as jalapenos, French black truffles and Italian cheeses. The full service restaurant also offers an extensive sake list and unique specialty cocktails such as Fuji apple martini, hot chocolate sake and lemon drop martini. The restaurant offers fusion dishes like salmon sashimi carpaccio, kimchi cucumber sunomono, filet mignon with ginger teriyaki sauce and an extensive sushi and sashimi list. Sushi Roku will be debuting at Fashion Island in Newport Beach this June.

Bronx Sandwich Co. is opening its second location later this month in April. This store is larger the Tustin, which opened earlier this year. It has a rustic Bronx feel with a brick wall, exposed rafters and polished concrete floors. The menu is identical to the Tustin location with less Rice Bowls. Address: 949 S. Euclid St. Anaheim, CA 92802

Anaheim-based The Pizza Press, by entrepreneur Dara Maleki, has finally revealed the opening date of his next restaurant. The Old Towne Orange location is opening Saturday, March 28 at noon. Like other assembly-line pizza players, Pizza Press lets diners create their own 10-inch pizza from unlimited toppings. The first restaurant opened in the summer of 2012 across the street from Disneyland on Harbor Avenue. Because it is a resort area, the pizzas cost $10. In Old Towne Orange, Maleki said he plans to add more seasonal toppings in Orange and will lower the price to $8, which is in line with rival concepts. Pizza Press, he added, sets itself apart from the competition with its wide selection of craft beers on tap. In Orange, the restaurant plans to offer about 20 taps. Maleki said he's targeting Chapman University students at the 2,900-square-foot eatery, which will have plenty of USB plug-ins for students “cramming” for tests. The Pizza Press plans to accelerate its growth through franchising this year.

Bruster’s Real Ice Cream, a scoop shop sensation East of the Mississippi, is opening its first West Coast location next month in Cypress. The Pittsburgh-based premium ice cream chain (think 12 percent butterfat) makes fresh batches and waffle cones in every shop. Unlike other ice cream parlors, Bruster’s is a walk-up concept, where orders are taken from windows. The Cypress Bruster’s is at 9963 Walker St. at Ball Road. Read full story: Bruster's enters SoCal

Pie Dog, a steak and sausage house,is opening Friday in Fullerton. The full-service concept by Grace Wu and Donny Gaudiano features 24 rotating craft beer taps, house ground steak burgers and sausages. At one point, the owner of Mick’s Karma Bar was involved. But PR reps for Pie Dog say the steak burger meister is no longer part of the project. Leonard Chan, who runs a string of hipster restaurants in Orange County, is acting as a menu consultant. Price: $7-$9. Address: 229 E. Commonwealth Ave., Fullerton.

The Irvine Co. must have a sweet tooth, as many of its shopping centers are welcoming a slew of dessert shops. The latest includes Cookie Connection at Crossroads Shopping Center. The menu includes a range of classic cookies, as well as its signature crackle cookie -- a soft chocolate brownie rolled in powdered sugar. The shop also sells ice cream cookie sandwiches made with ice cream from Cool Haus, a popular Los Angeles food truck. Address: 3972I Barranca Parkway, Irvine. Later this year, the Irvine Spectrum Center is opening Cream, which makes gourmet ice cream cookie sandwiches. Coming in June. Yogurtland is also opening a location at Irvine Spectrum Center in April, the Irvine Co. said. Scoops N Scoops, a liquid nitrogen scoop shop, is opening later this year atWalnut Village Center on Culver Drive, the same Irvine shopping center where Trader Joe's and Burntzilla operate.

Irvine-based Ritual Wellness is merging with the San Francisco's Project Juice, both companies announced Thursday. As part of the merger, the three Ritual Wellness shops in Orange County will be rebranded as Project Juice effective Thursday, the company said. The combined company has nine stores in California. "The business merger immediately multiplies Project Juice’s purchasing power, enabling the company to work directly with more California farms," the company said in a statement. Ritual Wellness founders Marra St. Clair and Lori Kenyon Farley developed the organic, cold-pressed juices as an online business in 2010. They opened their first shop in 2012 at The Camp in Costa Mesa. They will continue to make their juices and cleanses at their Irvine-based commissary. St. Clair and Kenyon Farley will remain with the company, working B with Project Juice founders Rachel and Greg Malsin and Devon Briger.

Texas premium burger chain, Mooyah Burgers, Fries & Shakes, opened its first Southern California location Monday, March 9 in Irvine. The better burger concept, known for its fresh-cut fries and in-house baked buns, has two locations in Northern California. Newport Beach franchisee Jim Melby, who runs his own accounting firm, is opening his first Mooyah burger in Irvine. The restaurant is replacing a bagel shop in the Alton Square Shopping Center in Irvine. Melby’s son-in-law, who has family experience running La Salsa restaurants in Las Vegas, will be helping him run the restaurants. Melby has plans to open at least five restaurants in the Orange County area. He is scouting locations in Hungtington Beach, Tustin, Newport Beach, Corona del Mar and Costa Mesa. Address: 5365 A-2 Alton Parkway, Irvine.

When my daughter started high school in downtown Santa Ana last year, I started roaming the historic Civic Center area for a quick cup of coffee in the morning. All I could find was Starbucks. Later, someone told me Gypsy Den served coffee for java fans on the run. Now, in just a few short weeks, there's suddenly a bevy of specialty coffee options in the area. In late February, well-known Orange County barista Truman Severson, formerly of Portola Coffee Lab, has launched a pop-up coffee bar in downtown Santa Ana. Severson's Hopper & Burr is set up each morning at Little Sparrow on Main and Third. His simple menu includes brewed filtered coffee, espresso, lattes, cappuccinos and mochas ranging in price from $2 to $5. His "white" options include whole milk, and almond milk. The latter is housemade by Andrew Ogden, who also worked at Portola. Hopper & Burr is open daily from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sparrow isn't open for breakfast or lunch, making the quaint European-bistro setting a perfect fit for his morning experiment. Severson said he'll keep the pop-up going as he looks for a permanent location -- hopefully somewhere in Santa Ana -- for his cafe. Next door to Little Sparrow/Hopper & Burr is Paninoteca Maggio. The sandwich shop is open Monday through Saturday for breakfast and serves espresso drinks. With Portola Coffee Lab opening its third Orange County cafe at 4th Street Market last month, Santa Ana is suddenly full of solid options for java junkies. "It's awesome. Santa Ana went from having no coffee to being a coffee destination," said Severson. The small businessman doesn't mind the competition. "High tides make all ships rise," he said.

Kona Grill, an American grill and sushi bar from Scottsdale, is opening its first California location in Orange County. The Irvine Spectrum Center location is one of 12 restaurants planned for the chain, whose menu offers a wide-range of Asian-inspired dishes, sandwiches, sushi, flatbread, saladds, soups and pastas.

Pour Vida Latin Flavor by Chef Jimmy Martinez is opening soon in downtown Anaheim. The classically trained chef will be using his French and Italian cooking influences for his hand-crafted taco menu, which include sous vide chicken and 24-hour marinated pork. The seafood tacos are served in squid-ink tortillas, according to the website menu. Martinez has worked for Wolfgang Puck, helped develop the menu at Mastro's in Costa Mesa and ran the kitchen of Dolce Steakhouse in Newport Beach. Address: 185 W. Center Street Promenade, Anaheim.

Andrea and Russell Young, under controversy for their work at Union Market Tustin, have been tapped to open a second Union Market at Kaleidoscope in Mission Viejo. "It will be a great addition to the center and will be embraced by South County residents," Colby Durnin, chief executive of Sentinel Development, told the Register. Food tenants include: Portola Coffee Lab, Milk Box, Hummus Bowl, Oyu Shabu, Poke Shack, The Kroft, Central Bar, Anchor Hitch, Noodle Bar, Youngstone Cheese Shop, and Market 2 Plate. Retailers include Bambu Earth and Miel.

The Dirty Cookie is the latest new food shop expected to open at Union Market Tustin. The landlords for the food and retail complex have come under scrutiny in recent weeks for not getting the main restaurants open in a timely fashion. Amid the exiting of a few shops, The Dirty Cookie has announced plans to grab a space at the center. The shop will offer cookie shots. What does that mean? Truong Kim, one of the partners, said the shop serves milk inside cookies molded into the shape of a shot glass. The inside of the “cookie glass” is coated with chocolate creating a leak-proof lining, he said. It's unclear when the dessert shop will open. Union Market Tustin is at The District shopping center, off Barranca and Jamboree.

Centro, a wood-fired pizza eatery and brewery, is coming soon to Old Town Tustin. The brewery-restaurant is owned by Pozzuoli Vineyard & Winery in Paso Robles. Pozzuoli, known for its tradition-defying blends, opened a tasting room more than two years ago in Tustin, off Red Hill. The Main Street location is an extension Pozzuoli‘s winery, as well as home base for “brewing our own Archaic craft beer,” said owner Enrico Pozzuoli. “The food will be Italian including wood fired pizza, panini sandwiches, salads and cheese plates.” Address: 140 E. Main St., Tustin (next to Quinn's Old Town Grill)

San Diego's Broken Yolk Cafe, which serves a wide-range of home-style breakfast dishes, opened its second Orange County location Monday., Feb. 23. The Mission Viejo restaurant is part of the renovated Avery Center on Marguerite Parkway. The menu includes standard egg dishes, pancakes, crepes, breakfast burritos and tacos, and espresso drinks. The restaurant is open for breakfast and lunch from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. It’s other O.C. location is in Orange on Chapman Avenue. Broken Yolk address: 28621 Marguerite Parkway.

Also coming to the Avery Center in Mission Viejo: Jimmy John’s. Stay tuned for more information.

Oggi’s Pizza Express,a new build your own pizza concept by the owners of Oggi's, opened in late February at the Village in Orange. Two locations have opened in San Diego. It replaces the old full-service Oggi's in the same mall.

AFTERS Ice Cream in Fountain Valley, which celebrated its one year anniversary Feb. 15, is expanding. The home of the Milky Bun, or doughnut stuffed with ice cream, recently opened a second location in Chino Hills. Co-founder Andy Nguyen said plans are underway for a third and fourth ice cream shop. The third shop, he tells the Register, will be in Tustin. He did not reveal the location, so stay tuned for more details. Also coming soon: expanding evening hours in Fountain Valley.

Paninoteca Maggio, home to a killer selection of Italian sandwiches and paninis, has finally revealed the opening date of its relocated restaurant. Cordon Bleu graduate of Chef Sharron Barshishat opened the eatery at The City Place in Santa Ana more than two years ago. That location shutdown as he prepared to relocate to downtown Santa Ana. The larger space, which will be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, opens Feb. 19. Address: 304 N Main St., Santa Ana (next to Little Sparrow)

Assembly-line pizza chain Blaze Pizza has confirmed plans to move into the prime retail space once occupied by Radio Shack in Old Towne Orange. The "corner" storefront, facing the city's famous downtown roundabout, will be the second fast-casual pizza restaurant to enter the area. Pizza Press, another build your own pizza concept, is opening soon on Glassell Street across the street from Zito's Pizza. Zito's is a tradtional family-style pizza eatery. Like Pizza Press, the Blaze Pizza in Orange is expected to have beer on tap.

Coming to the old Ways & Means space in Orange: Jason's by the Circle. The company is tied to Jason's Catered Events, based in Santa Ana. This information is based on the alcohol and beverage permit sign posted in the restaurant's window. Stay tuned for more details.

Raising Cane’s, a fast-food chicken fingers chain from Louisiana, is expected to enter the Orange County market this year. Restaurants are in the works for Laguna Hills, Costa Mesa and Aliso Viejo, according to the chain’s website. The company, whose limited menu features fried chicken tenders, crinkle cut fries, coleslaw and a fried chicken tender sandwich, said it is expanding to Southern California later this year.

The Market Place in Irvine is set to open TAPS Fish House & Brewery, Famous Dave’s BBQ, Starbucks and Urban Plates. The Starbucks will have a drive through.

On the Tustin side of The Market Place: Mizu Sushi Bar & Grill, at 1228 El Camino Real, opened Jan. 8. Coming in May: Piadina Italian Market Sandwich and Miguel’s Jr.The Flame Broiler is coming in June, while Wokcano is slated for December.

Monterey Park-based Wokcano is opening a restaurant at the MainPlace The Santa Ana mall is also adding a 10,000-square-foot Lucille’s Smokehouse Bar-B-Que. Lucille’s and Wokcano, scheduled to open in the fall, are on Level 2 of the old Macy’s men's furniture wing next to Ashley Furniture, the mall said.

Wokcano's parent company is M2K Group, whose other brands include Le Ka Restaurant, The Backhouse, EMC Seafood & Raw Bar, and The Big Catch Seafood. M2K is also planning to open an EMC Seafood in Irvine, a Big Catch in Huntington Beach and a Backhouse at Pacific City in Huntington Beach, according to the its website.

Creamistry, a liquid nitrogen scoop shop founded in Orange County, has announced plans to expand the concept to Costa Mesa and Rowland Heights. This will be the chain's fifth and sixth store locations. Yorba Linda resident Jay Yim opened the original scoop in Irvine in 2013. The brand is among several molecular-driven scoop shops popping up in Los Angeles, Denver and San Francisco. Yim is taking the trend seriously, expanding via franchising. Other locations have opened in Cerritos, Corona and Long Beach.

Los Angeles-based Golden Road Brewing, known for canning its craft beer, is expanding its operation to Anaheim. Golden Road co-founder Meg Gill said the brewery has a huge fan following in Orange County, where they plan to brew specialty limited edition beers. Victor Novak , former head brewer at TAPS Fish House & Brewery in Brea, will be one of the brew masters in Anaheim. Like the Golden Road in LosAngeles, Anaheim will have a tasting room and a restaurant. Golden Road distributes to 4,000 clients in California, including Anaheim Stadium, Honda Center, Whole Foods Market, Costco, Ralphs and Trader Joe’s. The Anaheim brewery, tasting room, and restaurant are expected to open later this year (2015). Address: 2220 East Orangewood Ave., Anaheim

Bronx Sandwich Co. has opened in Tustin, serving piled high hoagies made with Dietz & Watson meats and cheeses. Prices range from $8 to $10. Also, there’s only one size – 10 inches long with up to 10 ounces of meat in between. That’s the New York way,” said Sal Othman, who is using custom breads from OC Baking Company in Orange. Bronx will be adding fresh pre-made salads and sandwiches for takeout. Othman, who operates Bronx Burgers & Street Fries in Los Angeles, plans to open a second Bronx deli in Anaheim in late February at 949 S. Euclid St. The Tustin shop is at 13041 Newport Ave. (formerly Creations Pizzeria near Lost Bean organic cafe.)

Cream, a family-run ice cream sandwich chain founded in Berkeley, announced plans to open 11 Cream shops in Southern California, including 10 in Orange County and one at USC. The local shops will be operated by Orange County franchisee partners Kyle Olson and Hector Haget, who run a string of Jersey Mike’s restaurants in Orange County. The first shop will open in March in Aliso Viejo at 26841 Aliso Creek Rd. The second is slated for the Irvine Spectrum Center. Cream, founded in 2010, is like Stax Cookie Bar in Irvine. But while Stax outsources its ice cream, Cream uses a proprietary family recipe. Cream’s menu features 20 ice cream flavors and 20 cookie flavors.

San Clemente-based Oggi’s, a full-service pizza and sports bar chain, has developed a new build-your-own pizza concept, Oggi’s Pizza Express. Two locations have opened in San Diego, and a third is expected to debut in January in Orange. Similar to Pieology and Blaze Pizza, the express concept offers a 10-inch pizza for $7.99 with unlimited toppings. The menu also features build-your-own salads and 20 craft beers on tap – including house-brewed Oggi’s classics. Vice President Estella Ferrera said the concept is not replacing the company’s sit-down sports bars, frequented primarily by diners ages 25 to 54. The new division instead keeps costs down with less staff while casting a wider net that reaches a younger generation. That group of people really likes choice,” Ferrera said. “They need things quick, and they like to see things made in front of them

(end 2014, BELOW)

Pizza Studio opened its second Orange County location in Mission Viejo today (12-17). Franchisee Neal Perlmutter also owns Pizza Studios in Buena Park (the first in O.C.) and Compton. The Mission Viejo restaurant is at 28621 Marguerite Parkway. A pizza giveaway is slated for Monday. Stay tuned for details.

PizzaRev is slated to open its next local fast-casual pizza eatery in January at 1841 W. Imperial Hwy in La Habra.

Bondi Tustin update: It looks like Bondi Grill House has changed its mind for its second U.S. location. The Australian steak and seafood restaurant, which opened its first U.S. location in Huntington Beach earlier this year, is no longer planning a site at the Market Place in Tustin. The restaurant was slated to occupy a new building near Bonefish Grill at Jamboree and El Camino Real, the Irvine Co. said. No new tenant has been named at this time.

Cismontane Brewing Co., a microbrewery in Rancho Santa Margarita, added a tasting room in a warehouse in Santa Ana. The tasting room is open daily and will eventually be home to the company's first distillery. Santa Ana tasting room is at 1409 E. Warner Suite C, Santa Ana CA. (Stay tuned for more details later in my Business column.

MOD Pizza opened its second Orange County build-your-own pizza restaurant last week Laguna Hills, 26562 Moulton Parkway. The Washington state concept, which has a location in Irvine, sells 11 different signature pies including a Pizza Salad. You can also build your own pizza or salad. It is part of a slew of Chipotle-inspired fast-casual pizza restaurants invading Southern California, including The Pizza Press.

A new Philly’s Best in San Clemente is the first restaurant in the region to adopt a new look for the cheesesteak chain. The eatery, at the Ocean View Plaza Shopping Center, is a franchise location operated by Orange County father and son team, Patrick and Michael Yau. The new look includes a stainless steel bar top, the company’s new logo and Philly-themed wall graphics. The redesigned features will be implemented in all new locations, as well as corporate-owned stores in the coming months. The first Philly’s Best opened in 1992 in Fountain Valley. The company uses authentic ingredients and products shipped from Philadelphia, including Amoroso rolls, Wise Chips, Pennsylvania Dutch Birch Beer and TastyKake offerings. The company has 23 locations throughout Southern California. Address: 638 Camino De Los Mares.

It's getting close. Dunkin’ Donuts is opening its Long Beach restaurant and drive-through on Dec. 9 at 5 a.m. Address: 5560 E. 7th Street. The first person in the lobby and drive-through lines will receive free coffee for one yea. The first 100 customers will receive a Dunkin’ Donuts swag bag. Hours: 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.

LAX officials said Wednesday that they plan to double the dining options when a massive remodel of Terminal 6 is completed. Two Orange County-based companies were awarded spaces at the terminal: Habit Burger Grill and Wahoo's Fish Taco. The changeover at the terminal, which served 8 million passengers in 2013, includes the exit of Ruby's Diner. The nostalgic Irvine-based brand will be leaving once the terminal renovations are complete, LAX officials. Other food brands coming to the center include: Osteria by Fabio Viviani, a restaurant created by the popular Southern California celebrity chef and former contestant on Bravo's Top Chef; Blu2o, beach inspired cuisine; Earth Bar, fresh juices and salads; Point the Way Cafe, a craft beer bar; two Starbucks cafes and a See's Candies outlet. Retail stores coming include four shops dedicated to travel esssentials; M. Fredric (designer apparel), Tumi (accessories), XpresSpa (massage and facial services), a MAC Cosmetics shop, and Belkin (electronics.)

Jason Quinn, chef-owner of The Playground in downtown Santa Ana, opened the Dough Exchange on Tuesday, Nov. 18. Playground’s two bakers, Tyler Mosier and Fawn Mathers, are delivering pastries, doughnuts, European-inspired sidewalk sandwiches and meat pies. The bakery, at 220 E. Fourth Street, is next door to Playground 2.0. It's open from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

The cold-pressed juice wars are heating up in Orange County. The latest brand to enter the market is Santa Monica-based Pressed Juicery, which is opening a few local locations including two in Newport Beach. The company was founded in Brentwood in 2010, and his since expanded to more than 20 outlets in California. Besides offering bottled beverages, Pressed Juicery is know for its Freeze, a vegan and dairy-free soft serve-inspired concoction. The Westcliff Plaza location opens Nov. 22 at 1116 Irvine Ave., Newport Beach. A second Newport location is slated to debut Dec. 13 at Fashion Island. Another location is planned for the Irvine Spectrum Center. Santa Ana-based Nekter Juice is also ramping up expansion. By the end of the year, the 4-year-old brand will have nearly 50 stores open in five states. On Friday (Nov. 21), Nekter is reopening its remodeled flagship location in Costa Mesa. The store has doubled in size and offers a new food menu. Address: 474 E. 17th St.

Sanrio, the company behind celebrity cat icon Hello Kitty, have announced plans to open thier first large scale Hello Kitty Cafe in the U.S. The fast-casual restaurant is slated to open in an undisclosed location in Orange County, Sanrio officials said. The "super cute culinary concept will bring all things Hello Kitty to a one-of-a-kind fast-casual dining experience," the company said. During a recent trade show, Sanrio officials gave fans a glimpse of what the cafe might serve when it rolled out a Hello Kitty Cafe food truck. The mobile cafe served pastries, cakes & doughnuts. The cafe will be the first officiall Hello Kitty Cafe U.S. location for the company, which has a Sanrio Cafe in Hawaii, and several international Hello Kitty Cafes. Stay tuned for more details as we learn more.

The Arizona parent company of True Food Kitchen in Newport Beach is bringing its Italian concept to Orange County. North Italia, which specializes in house-made pastas and pizzas, is opening its first California location to Irvine. Anita Walker, vice president of marketing for Fox Restaurant Concepts in Phoenix, did not comment when asked if the restaurant would be replacing the old California Pizza Kitchen at Park Place. Established in 2002, North Italia has locations in Arizona, Texas, Colorado and Kansas. Stay tuned for more information.

Irvine Spectrum Center update: The Melt sandwich shop has closed temporarily to remodel its kitchen to accommodate an expanded menu that will include burger melts and fries. Irvine Co. officials say the restaurant should reopen by the end of the year. TLT Food, the brick and mortar version of the popular The Lime Truck, opens Wednesday, Nov. 19, at the mall. TLT brings signature gourmet food truck dishes such as carnitas fries and sliders, under one roof. LYFE Kitchen, a plant-based restaurant that offers meals that contain fewer than 600 calories, opened recently at the mall. This is the company's 13th LYFE Kitchen. The Irvine location uses locally sourced ingredients whenever possible, such as fruits and vegetables from Babe Farms, Ocean Mist Farms, Garlic Co., Scarborough Farms and Weiser Family Farms. Wines are sourced from Santa Barbara County, including Sanford Winery's chardonnay.

The lease for the El Cholo in Irvine, which was scheduled to close Oct. 31, has been extended through the end of the year. In the final hours before closing, owner Ron Salisbury said the Irvine Co. contacted the restaurant to cut a deal to stay longer as the replacement restaurant was not ready to take over the site. "They said the new tenant wouldn’t be able to move in, and they would cut our rent in half,” Salisbury said. "That was a big break for us." The extension gives El Cholo a chance to serve area diners while it prepares to relocate to a new space in Corona del Mar. Salisbury, who also owns The Cannery in Newport Beach, is renovating the old Landmark site and doesn't expect to open until early 2015.

SoCo in Costa Mesa tempts with tapas from Pueblo. Hillstone alums open Pueblo, which offers authentic Spanish small plates with a modern touch. It opens Wednesday for lunch and dinner. Read more: Pueblo Tempts Diners at SoCo

Richard Foley, a third-generation candymaker and chocolatier from Canada, opened ChocXO in Irvine on Nov. 1. Foley has 30 years experience in the industry and used to run Qzina, a worldwide distributor of fine chocolates. Using the same machinery as French luxury chocolate maker Valrhona, ChocXO processes top-grade cacao beans and turns them into chocolate. The Irvine menu includes bars, truffles and bark. The chocolates are sold at Foley’s two ChocXO cafes in Costa Mesa and Lake Forest, which both opened about two months ago. The cafes sell coffee and espresso drinks made with beans roasted at the Lake Forest location. Hot and cold mocha drinks are made with single origin liquid chocolate made in Irvine. Large clear windows allow customers to view the chocolate factory in action. For $20, customers can get a behind-the-scenes tour of the factory, sampling chocolates along the way. The fee includes a merchandise discount. For now, Foley's chocolates are sold only in his stores. The one-ton capacity factory is currently cranking out chocolate in small batches once per week. Eventually, Foley plans to increase production and distribute chocolates to outside retailers, as well as restaurants and pastry shops. Irvine address: 9461 Irvine Center Drive

Update: Orange County's first Dog Haus opens Nov. 22 at the MainPlace mall in Santa Ana. The "craft casual hot dog outfit from Pasadena is expanding through franchising in Southern California. The chain is known for its all-beef skinless "gut bomb" hot dogs served on grilled King's Hawaiian rolls. Santa Ana franchisee Ryan Welch has the rights to open 13 Dog Haus locations. On opening day, Dog Haus plans offer free hot dogs. (One per person.) The MainPlace location is on the first level below the main food court. Next door,Blaze Pizza also plans to open in November at the mall.

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf inside the Ralphsin Tustin, 13321 Jamboree Rd., has closed. It will reopen as a Starbucks on Nov. 24, according to Ralphs.

The operators behind the covered-wagon shaped Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center or Artic have announced the lineup of eateries slated for the train hub: Mission Market, a convenience store that accepts bitcoin for its grab-and-go goods and merchandise. The store has a location in Fullerton. Orange County restaurateur Leonard Chan, founder of the Iron Press in Costa Mesa, plans to open three restaurants at the center. The concepts include a bar, a brewpub and a poke bowl eatery. Ritter's, a steam kettle cooking concept with locations in Santa Ana and Huntington Beach, is also coming to Artic. Linh Nguyen, owner of Ritter's, is also planning to open an oyster bar. Lost Bean, an organic coffee shop in Tustin, is also opening at the train depot. The transportation hub is slated to open Dec. 13. However, most of the food elements will not be open. Mission Market is hoping to debut when the train debut opens.

After exiting Orange County a few years ago, Texas-based Dickey's Barbecue appears to be making a comeback. The company closed locations in Irvine and Huntington Beach during the recession. The fast-casual chain opened a Brea location more than a year ago and is now set to open more in Orange County. A Fullerton restaurant, at 1941 W Malvern Ave., is slated to open Nov. 14. Others are planned for Laguna Niguel and Buena Park, according to the chain's website. The Brea location is at 2435 E. Imperial Highway.

The Arizona parent company of True Food Kitchen in Newport Beach is bringing its Italian concept to Orange County. North Italia, which specializes in house-made pastas and pizzas, is opening its first California location in Irvine. Anita Walker, vice president of marketing for Fox Restaurant Concepts in Phoenix, confirmed that the restaurant’s address is at 2957 Michelson Drive. That’s the space where California Pizza Kitchen at Park Place used to operate before closing this year. Established in 2002, North Italia has locations in Arizona, Texas, Colorado and Kansas. Stay tuned for more information.

Tailgaters Tap House and Grill, a sports bar concept with crop top-clad female servers, has plans to open five California locations. Huntington Beach-based Strike Three Hospitality is rolling out its first upscale sports bar in Lake Forest in early 2015. Adolfo Morales Gonzalez, director of research and development, is developing a classic Americana menu of stacked and stuffed burgers, ribs and wings. The Lake Forest restaurant, at 29100 Portola Parkway, will have 30 taps featuring local craft beers such as the newly opened Beach City Brewery in Huntington Beach. A second Orange County restaurant is slated to take over the former McCormick & Schmick’s space in Santa Ana across from the MainPlace mall at 2791 N. Main St. The other locations will be in Glendora, El Dorado Hills and Vista. Learn more about the concept in Friday's new Open & Shut Business column.

Another indie liquid nitrogen ice cream shop has opened in Orange County. N2 Creamery joins Creamistry in Irvine and A la Minute in Orange. The ice cream shop, which uses liquid nitrogen to freeze small-batches of ice cream, opened Nov. 1 in Villa Park. The shop sells 20 different flavors and 20 different toppings. You can order by the cup, or in a waffle cone. Like the others, it's expensive. A small one scoop cup cost $3.95. Address: 17767 Santiago blvd, Villa Park.

OC Wine Mart is opening a third location by the end of the year in Aliso Viejo. Owner Julie Lim is calling her latest venture OC Wine Mart & Deli, Craft Beer, & Spirits. That’s a mouthful, but it is reflective of Lim’s desire to up the ante with each new business. In Yorba Linda, she added gourmet sandwiches to the wine tasting bar and bottle shop. The same menu will be offered in Aliso Viejo, which will be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Sandwiches are made using Boar's Head meats and artisan cheeses. Expect a wide variety of craft beer selections, as well, she said. Address: 23411 Aliso Viejo Parkway, Aliso Viejo.

New York's McFadden's is debuting its first Irish saloon in Orange County. The pub said it would be opening this winter at the GardenWalk in Anahiem near Disneyland. The restaurant has 14 locations, and sells a menu of classic American and Irish pub grub.

Stax Cookie Bar, an ice cream sandwich shop, opened in late October in Irvine. The University Center shop features homemade cookies stuffed with Fosselman's Ice Cream, a premium small-batch ice cream maker from Alhambra. Customers can form their sandwich from two different cookies, or two of the same flavor. Varieties will rotate daily. Signature selections include Chocolate Chip, Snickerdoodle, and Red Velvet.

New York transplant Johnny Younesi opened his third Johnny's Real New York Pizza on Oct. 2. For his dough, the Newport Beach lawyer uses a special water filtration system that replicates New York's softer water. The new location replaces a Red Brick Pizza at 6721 Quail Hill Parkway in Irvine. The other pizza locations are in Newport Beach and Corona del Mar.

Pho Today opened in early October in Orange. The restaurant sells authentic Vietnamese food, as well as boba drinks. Address: 816 E. Lincoln Ave., Orange. Also, new to Orange is Pho Oh Tasty at 2024 N. Tustin.

Buffalo Wild Wings is taking over the space once occupied by O's American Kitchen in Santa Ana. The East Coast chicken wing giant is expected to open Dec. 15. The restaurant will have the usual wall-to-wall flat-screen TVs -- geared for sports viewing. Address: 3811 South Bristol Ave., Santa Ana.

Bronx Sandwich Co. is replacing Creations in Tustin. The New York-style sub shop is also opening another location in Anaheim. Stay tuned for more information.

Florida-based Firehouse Subs is replacing a closed Quiznos in Santa Ana, at 2266 E. 17th St. Firehouse Subs, which began its California expansion in 2012, has plans to open dozens of units in the region. To date, the 800-unit chain has added local locations in Orange, Laguna Woods and Costa Mesa.

Three years after revealing plans to bring Steak ‘n Shake to the West Coast, the iconic steak burger chain is finally landing closer to Orange County. Owned by Texas-based Biglari Holdings, Steak 'n Shake is opening Tuesday (Oct. 28) in Santa Monica. This is the second Steak ‘n Shake to open in California. A restaurant in Victorville opened over the summer. Details have not been revealed on any pending Orange County outlets. Local East Coast and Midwest transplants are expected to turn out in droves to get their fix as the burger chain’s reputation back East rivals that of In-N-Out Burger on the West. Traditional Steak 'n Shake restaurants offer full-service dining and a drive-through lanes. The menu features ground steak burgers, hand-cut fries and hand-dipped milk shakes. The 80-year-old chain is a cross between In-N-Out (premium fast-food burger) and Ruby’s Diner (full service, retro atmosphere). The Santa Monica restaurant, at 1455 3rd Street Promenade, opens at 11 a.m. The first 100 customers will receive a year’s worth of free Steak ‘n Shake burgers, fries and shakes.

Florida-based Firehouse Subs is replacing a closed in Santa Ana, at 2266 E. 17th St. The fourth Orange County shop is slated to open in early November, the company said. Firehouse Subs, which began its California expansion in 2012, has plans to open 180 locations in Southern California over the next eight years. Of those, 35 are planned in Orange County. To date, the 834-unit chain has added locations in Orange, Laguna Woods and Costa Mesa.

Local liquid nitrogen ice cream shop, Creamistry, is expanding to Long Beach. The Yorba Linda-based company's third location opens Nov. 10 at 4725 East 2nd St. in Belmont Shore. At Creamistry, ice cream is made in small batches and frozen on the spot using liquid nitrogen. Trendy flavors include pastel purple, sweet and pasty taro and smooth creamy churro. Owner Jay Yim, who comes from a family of Korean bakers, launched the first Creamistry in Irvine last year. The modern shop has been a key attraction at the Crossroads shopping center, home to a new stream of hipster food concepts. Creamistry's second location opened last month in Cerritos. More shops are coming to Buena Park, Corona, Corona del Mar and Costa Mesa.

The West side of Costa Mesa is turning out some edgy concepts. The latest: Boathouse Collective. The Pomona Avenue industrial site was once a boat making facility in the 1950s. Clayton Peterson, who previously worked in the industrial packaging and surf manufacturing sectors, has turned urban lot into an industrial chic dining venue. Nearly every fixture and building materials are made of recycled materials, including surfboards lining the wood-trussed ceiling. Old shipping containers provide shelter around a grand outdoor patio, set up with an organic garden and a stage for music concerts. An old steam pipe The venue plans to have ticketed music and dining events, in addition to serving customers for lunch, dinner, brunch and happy hour. Address: 1640 Pomona Avenue.

Another waffle shop is opening soon in Orange County -- but this one is not using waffles as an accessory. At The Waffle Affair in Newport Beach, waffles are the main attraction. A variety of waffles will be sold, infused with 21 types of sweet and savory waffles, including the classic Liege waffle. The menu will also offer bite-size waffles and a selection of entre size savory waffles, where ingredients are mixed into the batter. The restaurant's coffee bar plans to brew Illy coffee. Waffle Affair is slated to open in November at 1064 Bayside Drive, Newport Beach. (Bayside Center).

The Bungalow in Santa Monica, Lemonade LA, Simmzy's, Bear Flag Fish Co., and Ola Mexican Cuisine have been named as the latest food tenants at the coastal Pacific City lifestyle center in Huntington Beach. The 31-acre development includes a 250-room, eight-story hotel and spa at Pacific Coast Highway and First Street. The mixed use center features Lot 579, a food hall-style gathering spot for indie eateries and shops. The project is set to open in 2015. More retailers and restaurants will be announced in the coming weeks. Stay tuned.

Laurent Vrignaud is bringing a slice of Paris to Newport Beach with his restaurant, Moulin Bistro-Épicerie-Café. The bistro opened Sept. 25 at 7 a.m. The bakery will turn out baguettes, croissants and sweet treats, including French apple turnovers, in its exhibition bakery. Sandwiches and other French-inspired meals and treats will be served throughout the day. Address: 1000 N. Bristol St. Read full story here: Moulin Bistro

Social Costa Mesa is aiming for the culinary middle with a tweener restaurant that offers a dynamite food experience sans the pretentiousness and price tag of today’s buzzy venues. We want to bridge the gap between hipster and unapproachable,” owner Andrew Dorsey said. The energetic Dorsey, who owned 195 Downtown Grill in Anaheim, has assembled a scrappy but uber-talented dream team for Social Costa Mesa, set to open Oct. 2 in the spot that formerly housed London Pub. Address: 512 W. 19th St., Costa Mesa Read full story here

Waterman's Harbor, whose culinary directior is former The Loft at Montage chef John Cuevas, opened mid-Sept at the Dana Point Harbor. The dinner only restaurant is in the old Jolly Roger space. The menu features locally sourced seafood, meats and produce. Address: 34661 Golden Lantern, Dana Point.

Public 74, a new gastropub in San Juan Capistrano, opened in August.

Crazy Chi Mac, a new Korean fried chicken place in Anaheim, opened in July.

Nam Vietnamese, new Vietnamese pho and banh mi place in Santa Ana, opened in late August. (2014)

Mendocino Farms, a gourmet sandwich shop from Los Angeles, has announced plans for its second Orange County location. The new fast-casual restaurant is coming next year to University Center, near UC Irvine. It is taking over half of the space where Steelhead Brewing operated, according to the Irvine Co., which owns the center.

Australian bakery Pie-Not in Costa Mesa announced is expanding into the retail grocery sector today 8/28 as five of its signature sweet and savory pies debut at Whole Foods Market in Tustin.

The five vegetarian selections will be baked daily on-site, and available in the ready-to-eat and prepared foods section of the market.

“We are very excited to partner with a brand we respect and admire - Whole Foods Market - to offer our authentic Aussie-style treats,” said Australia-born Jai Snowdon, who co-founded Pie-Not in May 2013.

PizzaRev opened its first Orange County restaurant in mid-August in Santa Ana. Another location is set to open Wednesday, Aug. 27, in Long Beach. The two-year-old Westlake Village concept is backed by Buffalo Wild Wings. Eleven-inch pizzas are cooked in open-flame, 900-degree, stone-bed ovens. The 11-unit chain is expanding outside of its core Los Angeles area region. Other locations are planned for La Habra and Los Angeles (Koreatown). Addresses: 3605 S. Bristol St., at MacArthur Blvd. & 7551B Carson Blvd., Long Beach (Long Beach Towne Center).

Roscoe's finally opened its first Orange County location. The Anaheim restaurant opened August 24. Read full story

Cucina Enoteca is openinag its second Orange County location Aug. 20 in Newport Beach. Like the Irvine restaurant, the 8,300-square-foot Fashon Island eatery will feature a menu of rustic Italian dish#mce_temp_url#es prepared with a California-inspired spin. The executive chef is Joe Magnanelli, with Brent Omeste acting as chef de cuisine. Enoteca has earned media buzz with its pioneering “restaurant to retail” strategy, a business model that allows diners to buy any of the venue's sleek customized furniture, lighting and decor. The restaurant's retail wine shop also offers 250 bottles of wine at competitve prices. The shop includes a large selection of Italian varietals. - 951 Newport Center Drive

Texas premium burger chain, Mooyah Burgers, Fries & Shakes, is opening its first Southern California location this week in Irvine. The better burger concept, known for its fresh-cut fries and in-house baked buns, has two locations in Northern California. Newport Beach franchisee Jim Melby, who runs his own accounting firm, is opening his first Mooyah burger in Irvine. The restaurant is replacing a bagel shop in the Alton Square Shopping Center in Irvine. Melby’s son-in-law, who has family experience running La Salsa restaurants in Las Vegas, will be helping him run the restaurants. Melby has plans to open at least five restaurants in the Orange County area. He is scouting locations in Hungtington Beach, Tustin, Newport Beach, Corona del Mar and Costa Mesa.

Ruby’s Diner enters a new era Friday with the Orange County debut of its first fast-casual eatery. Ruby's, known for its iconic 1940s décor and all-American grub, has converted its 17th Street location in Costa Mesa into a counter-service restaurant with a new midcentury modern look. The new format, dubbed Ruby’s Dinette, will act as a pilot restaurant for the 45-unit chain. Ruby’s chief executive and founder Doug Cavanaugh said the streamlined Ruby's Dinette represents the chain’s ability “to nimbly respond to shifting consumer tastes and trends. It re-opens Friday, Aug. 15 for lunch and dinner. Breakfast hours start Aug. 28. Address: 428 E. 17th St., Costa Mesa.

Din Tai Fung, an international chain known for its Shanghai-style soup dumplings, is debuting its first Orange County restaurant Monday (Aug. 18) at South Coast Plaza. The chic Chinese restaurant seats 175 in an 8,000-square foot space on Level 2 of the mall near Sears. The large, centrally located exhibition kitchen will be churning out signature dishes such as shrimp and pork wontons with spicy sauce, shrimp fried rice and sautéed string beans with garlic. The family-owned restaurant has locations worldwide in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and Korea. In the U.S., it has restaurants in Seattle and Arcadia. Owner Frank Yang stated: "Din Tai Fung is proud to make its debut in Orange County at South Coast Plaza, one of the world’s premiere shopping destinations. We are excited to bring Din Tai Fung closer to our loyal Southern California customers and also to introduce our cuisine to a wider audience."

Residents of Orange and neighboring city of Santa Ana must love Starbucks. The Seattle giant is opening, yet again, more cafes in these north Orange County communities. Later this fall, Starbucks plans to open a new cafe at Tustin and Lincoln in Orange. "This store will feature a drive-thru and The Clover Brewing System, which will allow customers to discover new layers and dimensions within a coffee’s familiar aroma, flavor, body and acidity, brewed fresh by the cup," Starbucks said. Additionally, a store location will open later this month (August) at the MainPlace mall in Santa Ana. It will be located on the first floor below the food court. A new cafe is also opening inside the Target in Santa Ana on 17th Street and Grand Ave., across the street from a Starbucks drive-through near Popeyes.

Urban Seoul, a modern Korean restaurant, will be coming to Irvine Spectrum Center this summer and taking over the Taverna Blu location. Taverna closed recently at the mall. Urban Seoul is slated to open around mid-August, possibly by Aug. 15. Stay tuned.

Sweet Arleen's, a three-time winner of Food Network's Cupcake Wars, has opened its first Orange County shop. This is third shop to open as the Westlake Village cupcakery plans to open more stores -- many through franchising. The Yorba Linda shop, which opened July 31, is run by franchisee Toren Halseth. Halseth started working at the flagship Westlake Village shop five years ago. He is scouting other locations to open in Orange County, including Newport Beach. Besides cupcakes, the shop sells sweet and savory bread pudding. Some of the flavors include: mac 'n cheese, peach cobbler and bananas foster. Address: 18503 Yorba Linda Blvd.

Whole Foods Market will anchor yet another Irvine Co. owned development. The natural foods giant is coming to a new retail center on Irvine Center Drive, just off I-405. Whole Foods has a location at Fashion Island. Read more here

Smashburger is finally making its way north of South Orange County. The Denver-based burger sensation, where every seasoned patty is "smashed" and grilled to order, recently opened at the Buena Park mall. The chain is set to open another location in September at Westpark Plaza in Irvine, according to its website.

Baking Betty's opened its first brick and mortar cookie shop at Fashion Island this week. The shop, known for its giant signature S'more cookie, is located at the Atrium Court.

Rita's Ice continues to bring its authentic Italian ice to Southern California. The latest shop to open is in Anaheim. Other locations are in Irvine, Huntington Beach, Mission Viejo, Laguna Hills and Dana Point. According to the chain's website, new locations are coming soon to Anaheim Hills, Newport Beach, Tarzana and North Hollywood.

BYO Pizza update: Pasadena-based Blaze Pizza is opening a restaurant every six days, including new locations that opened this summer (late July) in Mission Viejo and Monrovia. PizzaRev is opening its first Orange County location in Santa Ana (3614 S. Bristo) in August. Pizza Studio is also slated to open a second O.C. location soon in Mission Viejo (Avery Center- 28621 Marguerite Pkwy.)

TAPS Fish House & Brewery is taking over Buca di Beppo, which is expected to close by September, the Irvine Co. confirms. "We thank Buca di Beppo for their time at The Market Place and wish them continued success with their other Orange County locations. The dining mix at our centers is always changing to stay fresh, and we look forward to welcoming Taps Fish House & Brewery in 2015." This will be TAPS' third location, and second in Orange County. Joe Manzella, founder of TAPS, said the Irvine restaurant will undergo a major renovation before it debuts in late February. "We're pretty much taking the entire building down to nothing inside and then adding on 1,500 square feet plus a 1,200 square foot patio," he said. The restaurant will not have a brewery. The expansion comes as Manzella loses his longtime head brewer, Victor Novak. Manzella said Novak is going to head the brewing operations at Golden Road Brewing in Los Angeles.

Urth Caffé, a chain of healthful restaurants with frequent celebrity spottings, has long been the organic hallmark of Los Angeles. Soon Orange County will be getting a taste of the premium coffee brand. After a two-year search of Laguna Beach, founders Shallom and Jilla Berkman have landed a local landmark: The Cottage. The Berkmans held a ground-breaking ceremony on July 13 at The Cottage site to thank all those involved in the restoration of the coastal house. The Berkmans will be restoring The Cottage to its former glory. The cafe, named “Urth Caffé at the Cottage,” will be the first Urth location to have a chef on-site and an American breakfast menu featuring dishes like pancakes, French toast, and bacon and eggs using organic ingredients.

Meet Fresh: After 400 store openings in more than 100 cities in Australia, China, Malaysia, Taiwan, and South Korea, Meet Fresh, the popular Asian dessert shop has finally landed in the U.S. Located at Diamond Jamboree in Irvine, Meet Fresh opened on July 15. It offers a selection of taro ball desserts, herbal jelly desserts, tea drinks, and other specialty Asian desserts. The fan-favorite choice is the “Meet Fresh Signature," which consists of taro balls, herbal jelly, and herbal blended ice. The main kitchen located in Taiwan prepares all the traditional ingredients such as taro balls and herbal jelly which are then delivered to all the Meet Fresh stores worldwide. The newest Meet Fresh in Irvine, which dons a fashion shop design, is located at 2710 Alton Parkway, Suite 105, Irvine, CA 92606.

Family-owned Kelley’s Kookies is now open at the Brea Mall. The eatery’s crispy shortbread cookies are made from scratch. The newest addition to the chain is a shortbread dipping station, where customers can choose milk, dark or white chocolate and one topping for each kookie they purchase. Kelley’s Kookies plans to add the dipping station to their other two locations in Stanton and Arcadia. Customers can now enjoy some of Kelley’s Kookies most popular items, including melting moments, a walnut kookie in powdered sugar, and their chocolate-dipped macadamia shortbre

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